Gate-latch.



No. 627,587. Patented June 27, I899. J. B. MIESSE.

GATE LATCH.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

A TTOHNE y.

m: scams virus 00.. FHDTOLITHOU WASHINGTON. o. 1:v

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JACOB B. MIESSE, OF NOB LESVILLE, INDIANA.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent no. 627,587, dated June a, 1899. Application filed October 26, 1898. Serial No. 694,612. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AooB B. MrEss'E, a citizen of the United States, residing at Noblesville, in the county of Hamilton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Gate Latch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in gate-latches, and more particularly to latches for sliding gates.

The object of my invention is to produce a latch through which the gate-operating force may be exerted, but which will at all times have one portion free to come into engagement with a latch-pin without hindrance from the gate-operating force.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a gate to which my improved latch has been applied. The operating mechanism shown is that described and claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 686,452. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the latch.

In the drawings, 3 and 4 indicate a pair of oppositely-extendin g catches, each of which is pivoted upon the sliding gate 5. Catch 3 is provided with an operating-arm 6, and catch 4 is provided with a similar arm 7. Arms 6 and 7 extend upward through a yoke 8, which is secured to the gate and forms a guide for said arms. Resting upon the yoke 8 is one end 9 of an operating-link 10, the other end of which may be secured to any suitable operating means. End 9 of link 10 is provided with a slot 11, adapted toreceive the upper ends of the arms 6 and 7, the ends of said slot engaging said arms when the catches are in their normal position.

In the drawings the gate'5 is one of two similar sections, the other section 12 being operated simultaneously in the opposite direction by any suitable means connected to the gate 5. Secured to the section 12 is a pin 13, adapted to engage with the catch 3 when the gate-sections'are closed. Secured to the post 14 is a pin 15, adapted to engage the catch 4 when the gate 5 is thrown open.

It will be readily understood that if a single gate-section is used the pin 13 will be secured to the post opposite the post 14. Forthe urpose of limiting the movement of the catches I provide a pin 16, which extends across the yoke between the arms 6 and 7. The downward movement of the catches is limited by the sides of the yoke 8.

The operation is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 a pull upon the link 10 will first bring the -outer.end of the slot 11 into engagement with the arm 6 of catch 3 and swing said catch upward out of engagement with the pin 13. As soon as the catch 3 is withdrawn from pin 13 the arm 6 thereof comes into engagement with the pin 16, and a further pull upon the link 10 will slide the gate 5 until catch'4 is brought into engagement with the pin 15. With the parts in this position the catch 4 is entirely free, so that it passes freely over and into engagement with its pin. A reversal of the force upon the link 10 will cause a reversal of the movement of the other parts. In this case the first action of the link is upon the catch 4, lifting the said catch from its pin 15. The gate then slides shut, and catch 3, which is free from influence of the link, is free to pass over and. into engagement with the pin 13. It will be noticed, therefore, that during either movement of the gate the first action of the link is exerted upon the catch which is then in engagement with its catch-pin and that the other catch is entirely free from the link.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a pair of pivoted catches, of a link provided with means for engaging each catch in but one direction.

2. The combination with a pair of pivoted catches each provided with an operating-arm of a link, and means carried by said link for engaging each of said operating-arms in but one direction.

3. The combination with a pair of pivoted catches each provided with an operating-arm, of a link provided with a slot adapted to receive both of said operating-arms, substan tially as described.

JACOB B. MIESSE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. ROBERTS, G. W. VEsTAL. 

